Prize Scholarships & Awards

Each year, the Department of Economics nominates outstanding students for the following awards:

Undergraduate Awards

The Charles G. Bluhdorn Prize in Economics is awarded annually to an undergraduate majoring in economics who has demonstrated outstanding scholastic ability. This prize was founded in 1983 by Donald Gaston in memory of Charles G. Bluhdorn.

The Marion Ricker Houston Prize Scholarship in Economics is awarded to junior or senior economics majors who have been responsible citizens of the Tufts community and who, in the opinion of the department's faculty, have made substantial progress in mastery of their chosen field. This prize was established in memory of a faculty wife whose friendship and gracious hospitality enriched the lives of many generations of Tufts and Jackson students.

The Lewis F. Manly Memorial Prize is awarded to an undergraduate of Tufts University who combines a record of academic excellence with superior athletic performance. Preference is given to an economics major where there is a choice among otherwise highly qualified candidates. This prize was established by friends, family, and former students in memory of Lewis F. Manly, a member of the Tufts faculty for 40 years, and chairman of the Department of Economics for 26 of those years. He also served for six years as head coach of basketball and for 15 years as head coach of football, uniquely combining a dedicated career as a teacher and as an athletic coach. His loyalty, devotion, and service to Tufts were of a high order.

The Daniel Ounjian Prize in Economics is given to a junior economics major who, in the judgment of the department's faculty, should be encouraged to pursue graduate studies in economics. Preference is given to those whose contributions to the Tufts community reflect the loyalty and commitment which his students and peers appreciated in Daniel Ounjian. This award was established to honor Daniel Ounjian, who graduated from Tufts in 1957 and received his Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University in 1966. Returning to teach at Tufts in 1962, he served as a Professor of Economics until his retirement in 1993. During his thirty-one year career at Tufts he served for over a decade as chairman of the Department, and was an important contributor to many University committees and activities. Professor Ounjian will be remembered by his students and colleagues for his good cheer and indomitable spirit, for his ability to inspire students to do their best, for his kindness toward colleagues, for his loyalty to Tufts, and for his significant contributions to the Tufts community.

The Linda Datcher Loury Award in Economics, awarded annually to an undergraduate majoring in Economics and/or to a graduate student pursuing a M.S. in Economics, for the completion of an outstanding thesis. This prize was established in 2012 in memory of Professor Linda Datcher Loury.

Graduate Awards

Thanks to a generous gift from Rick Henken, a double Jumbo in Economics and currently President of Schochet Associates, we have established the Henken Family Endowed Graduate Research Fund. This fund provides the Department of Economics with the resources to support one or more Henken Family Scholars each year. Learn more about Henken Family Endowed Graduate Research Fund.